<p>Although the candidate promised both to cut taxes and improve services, he failed to keep either of them after the election.</p>
<p>(A) Although the candidate promised both to cut taxes and improve services, he
(B) The candidate, having promised both to cut taxes and improve services,
(C) Although the candidate made promises both to cut taxes and improve services, he
(D) and (E) are obviously wrong.</p>
<p>I can't see anything wrong with A and B. C is the correct answer.</p>
<p>His love of politics led him to volunteer in local campaigns as well as a job in a government office in the state capital.</p>
<p>"a job" is the correct answer. What should go there instead? "jobs"? How do we know how many jobs he volunteered in?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I don't know the term for why A and B are wrong, but it feels wrong and I think the problem lies with 'promised both'. If it'd been 'promised to cut taxes and improve...', that would work, but having 'both' there suggests that services would be cut too. It almost reads as though 'both' is a person. If that makes any sense. :/</p></li>
<li><p>'a job' would be replaced by 'land a job' or something. Right now, it's as if he volunteered at his job which is paradoxical.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>But... I'm barely awake and I could be wrong on both counts. :)</p>
<ol>
<li>I'm not entirely sure why, to me it just sounds better</li>
<li>it has to be parallel so it would as well as to get a job in a government office.</li>
</ol>
<p>The use of the word "either" comes into important play in this sentence.
Saying "either" means that there must be a use of something plural in the sentence.. in this case, by looking at the list of answer choices, you can tell that "promised" and "promises" may make the difference.
Since "either" is meaning plural usage, you go with the plural answer, "promises".</p>
<p>It's hard to understand, but he maybe have only "promised" to do one thing instead of two. Since it's so ambiguous, "promises" is a valid answer.</p>